Long or Short?
- maureen
- Beads & Gemstones
- Saturday, January 15, 2011
In the picture is a “custom” I just finished for a friend. Actually it is a second version of a custom. My friend had a few beads she wanted me to make into a necklace, adding some of mine. The result, a striking 25 inch piece, pleased us both, and it always elicited compliments when she wore it. But six months later, she came back, having decided she wanted it to be longer. That brought up the “short verses long” discussion. Many designers prefer the shorter, 22 inch length, because it draws the eye to the face. In fact, “Ornament” magazine editor Robert Lieu writes in, Collectible Beads, “I favor necklaces that do not reach lower than the bosom and prefer even a shorter length. Longer necklaces tend to draw attention away from the face or neck. Since any striking necklace attracts attention, this strategy may be compromised sometimes. Neckware hanging lower than the waist often exposes the components to increased risk of damage, as the necklace tends to have more movement” (Collectible Beads,1995. p. 182).
I bet you had no idea about all these factors in the simple wearing of a necklace!